ull and
true reason of all this; and you may be able to receive satisfaction,
and regard as more certain all that I shall say to you, for I thus
affirm and certify it in the name of this great and powerful lord. And
since we are so near neighbors, and can communicate with each other in
a few days, I shall be much honored, if you will inform me of all the
things of which you wish to be advised, for I know all this will be
greatly to his majesty's service. And over and above his good will,
I shall be most gratified thereat and shall write you my thanks;
and the emperor our lord will be much pleased if you will deliver
to this captain any of the Spaniards who are still alive in your
prison. If you wish a ransom for it, he shall give it you at your
pleasure and to your satisfaction; and in addition you will receive
favors from his majesty, and reciprocal favors from me, since, if you
wish it so, we shall have for many days much intercourse and friendship
together. May twenty-eight, one thousand five hundred and twenty-seven.

_Hernando Cortes_.

(No. xxxiv, pp. 461-462.)

A relation of the voyage was written by Saavedra and set down in the
book of the secretary of the fleet. The two ships and one brig set
sail in October, 1527, from the port of "Zaguatenejo, which is in
New Spain, in the province of Zacatala," on the western coast. When
out but a short distance his surgeon dies and is buried at sea. Soon
after this one of the ships begins to take water, and so rapidly
that it is necessary to bring men from the other vessels to keep her
afloat. On December 29 the Ladrones are sighted; and soon afterward
they anchor at an island (not of this group), whose inhabitants show
previous contact with Castilians by crying as a signal "Castilla,
Castilla!" He relates the finding of one of the three men at the island
of Vizaya. This man relates that after a year's captivity his master
had taken him to Cebu, where he learned from the natives that they had
sold to the Chinese the eight companions of Magalhaes who were left
on that island. The natives of Cebu "are idolaters, who at certain
times sacrifice human beings to their god, whom they call Amito,
and offer him to eat and to drink. They dwell near the coast and they
often voyage upon the sea in their canoes, going to many islands for
plunder and trade. They are like the Arabs, changing their towns from
one place to another. There are many fine hogs in this island, and
it has gol